Outdoor Learning

Get Outside!

It seems obvious that spending time outside is good for you. Whether it’s taking a walk to clear your head or smelling flowers in a backyard garden, getting outside is a dependable way to feel better.The effect is real, and over the years, scientists have shown that nature can provide stress relief, increase social interaction, encourage physical exercise and even help soothe mental illness. It seems that kids have less opportunity to be outdoors, in terms of both time and space. Some schools are responding by having nature experiences as part of a class, recess, or special activity, as they recognize the potentially significant effects on learning and mental health.

Educational research suggests that contact with nature supports the development of cognitive, emotional, and spiritual connections to environments around them. It also suggests that contact with nature is important for children’s mental, emotional, and social health because imagination and creativity, cognitive and intellectual development, and social relationships are encouraged in outdoor activity, all of which improve the child’s mental health and function.

As we look ahead to the next few weeks of nice weather, I hope you have an opportunity to bring your students outside.  It will be a positive experience for everyone!

If there's anything I can do to help facilitate an outdoor experience for your class, please let me know!
Sue